Varner sits a shot ahead of Spaniard Adri Arnaus (-11) and two shots up on Tommy Fleetwood.
Harold Varner III dropped a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the third round to take the lead at the Saudi International in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.
Varner, who finished T22 at the American Express two weeks in his only PGA Tour start of this calendar year, rolled through Saturday with a 68 at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.
Now at 12 under for the tournament, Varner sits a shot ahead of Spaniard Adri Arnaus (-11) and two shots up on Tommy Fleetwood.
“I’m just hanging in there,” Varner III said after his round. “I did a good job of just slowing down and just doing my job. I love competing. I mean, the greatest thing in life is competing and just working at it.”
The Saudi event, which is no longer associated with the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), is now part of the Asian Tour. Saudi Arabia made a $200 million investment in the tour last year.
He took to Twitter on Saturday, saying “everyone needs to chill.” DeChambeau has tossed aside claims that his excessive workout schedule and weight gain in his pursuit of distance was the cause of his latest injury, stating that he slipped and fell on Tuesday.
A 14-year-old phenom from Thailand made the cut at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.
American Harold Varner III and Spain’s Adri Arnaus each posted 66 to share the 36-hole lead at the Saudi International in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. The co-leaders also both shot opening-round 64s at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club as the duo sit at 10-under 130.
“It wasn’t blowing as hard this morning, so just trying to hang in there and just give myself a chance,” said Varner in a statement released by the tournament. “I think you’ve got to drive it really well here. It’s forgiving off the tee, but when blowing, the lines get a little bit tighter, and you’ve just got to keep hitting good shots.”
Varner’s lone professional victory came in the 2016 Australian PGA Championship. Arnaus has one career win too, the 2018 Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final in the United Arab Emirates.
Next on the leaderboard are PGA Tour regulars Cameron Smith and Matt Wolff at 8 under. Tommy Fleetwood is solo fifth after two days at 7 under. First-round leader Matteo Manassero, who had a 62 on Thursday, posted a 73 on Friday.
Other notables: Bubba Watson, T-6 (6 under); Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele, T-9 (5 under); defending champion Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, T-14 (4 under).
Ratchanon Chantananuwat, 14, of Thailand made the cut. He shot a 75 Friday, one day after posting a 66 and made the weekend by a shot.
Graeme McDowell missed the cut after shooting a pair of 73s. Jason Dufner will miss the weekend as well after posting scores of 72 and 78.
Bryson DeChambeau, who opened with a 73 on Thursday, withdrew prior to the second round, citing injuries to both his left hand and left hip.
The Saudi International is the Asian Tour’s season-opening event.
The top 10 players heading into the final day include six players looking for their first-ever PGA Tour victory.
With one round remaining in the 2022 American Express golf tournament, the leaderboard includes a lot of names that are probably new to even avid golf fans.
That’s okay, and not altogether surprising. Six of the last 15 champions here had never won a PGA event before a victory in the desert.
So with that in mind, here is everything you need to know about the contenders at the top of the leaderboard. There are 10 players at 15-under or better.
Of this group, there is one major champion, one former champion in the desert, three international players, three players playing this event for the first time, and six players looking for their first career PGA Tour win.
Paul Barjon (-18)
Age: 29
From: Born in Bordeaux, France; resides in Fort Worth, Texas
College: TCU
Number of PGA Tour wins: Zero
Best finish at this event: First appearance
Current World Golf Ranking: 313
Notable: With a win, Barjon would be the seventh international winner in the tournament’s 62-year history. It marks the first time the desert’s golf tournament would have back-to-back international winners as Si Woo Kim of South Korea won last year.
Lee Hodges (-18)
Age: 26
From: Born in Huntsville, Alabama, resides in Athens, Alabama
College: UAB and Alabama
Number of PGA Tour wins: Zero
Best finish at this event: First appearance
Current World Golf Ranking: 312
Notable: Hodges is from an athletic family. His cousin, Logan Stenberg, is an offensive lineman in the NFL for the Detroit Lions (as of 2021).
Tom Hoge (-17)
Tom Hoge tees off on hole one during the third round of The American Express at the La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022.
Age: 32
From: North Carolina, but resides in Fargo, North Dakota
College: TCU
Number of PGA Tour wins: Zero
Best finish at this event: Tied for 6th in 2020
Current World Golf Ranking: 115
Notable: For starters, his name is pronounced exactly like the word Hoagie. This is the seventh time Hoge has played here and he missed the cut, four of the previous six, so this effort on these courses is a bit of a surprise.
Seamus Power (-16)
Age: 34
From: Tooraneena, County Waterford, Ireland
College: East Tennessee State
Number of PGA Tour wins: 1 (2021 Barbasol Championship)
Best finish at this event: Tie for 11th in 2018
Current World Golf Ranking: 49
Notable: Power won the Barbasol event last year on the sixth playoff hole over J.T. Poston. In doing so, he became the fifth player from the Republic of Ireland to win a PGA event, joining Pat Doyle, Peter O’Hara, Padraig Harrington, and Shane Lowry.
Lanto Griffin (-15)
Age: 33
From: Born in Mount Shasta, California, resides in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
College: VCU
Number of PGA Tour wins: 1 (2019 Houston Open)
Best finish at this event: Played twice and missed cut both times
Current World Golf Ranking: 117
Notable: Once on the Web.com Tour, Griffin won an event after making the cut on the number, the only time that has ever happened on that tour.
Harry Higgs (-15)
Harry Higgs tees off on the 13th hole of the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West during the American Express in La Quinta, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022.
Age: 30
From: Born in Camden, New Jersey, lives in Dallas, Texas
College: SMU
Number of PGA Tour wins: Zero
Best finish at this event: Played here once (2020) and missed the cut
Current World Golf Ranking: 141
Notable: He’s not nervous when the bright lights are on. Higgs has only played in one major tournament in his career, the 2021 PGA Championship, and he finished tied for fourth.
Hudson Swafford (-15)
Age: 34
From: Born in Tallahassee, Florida; resides in Sea Island, Georgia
College: University of Georgia
Number of PGA Tour wins: Two (2017 CareerBuilder Challenge, 2020 Puerto Rico Championship)
Best finish at this event: Winner in 2017
Current World Golf Ranking: 166
Notable: Hudson Swafford won this event in 2017, notably edging out Adam Hadwin, whose week included a 59 at La Quinta Country Club.
Cameron Young (-15)
Age: 24
From: Born in Scarborough, New York; resides in Jupiter, Florida
College: Wake Forest
Number of PGA Tour wins: Zero
Best finish at this event: First appearance
Current World Golf Ranking: 134
Notable: Cameron Young is the only player currently on the PGA Tour whose last name begins with a Y.
Francesco Molinari (-15)
Francesco Molinari of Italy walks on the 14th hole during the third round of The American Express at the Stadium Course at PGA West on January 22, 2022, in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Age: 39
From: Born and lives in Turin, Italy
College: University of Turin
Number of PGA Tour wins: Three (2018 Quicken Loans, 2018 British Open, 2019 Arnold Palmer Invitational)
Best finish at this event: Tied for 10th in 2015
Current World Golf Ranking: 249
Notable: Molinari is one of 13 major champions in the field at The American Express this week. He won the 2018 British Open, outlasting a star-studded group of chasers that included Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Xander Schauffele.
Harold Varner III (-15)
Age: 31
From: Born in Akron, Ohio; resides in Charlotte, North Carolina
College: East Carolina
Number of PGA Tour wins: Zero
Best finish at this event: Tied for 18th in 2019
Current World Golf Ranking: 95
Notable: Varner does not have a PGA Tour win, but he does have a win on the European Tour. He won the Australian PGA Championship in 2016.
Keep an eye on these PGA Tour veterans and incoming rookies in 2022.
After a nearly two-month holiday hiatus, the PGA Tour returns to action with the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
The last time we saw the boys in action, Talor Gooch earned his first-ever win on Tour at the RSM Classic in November. Three weeks prior Lucas Herbert did the same at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. As the new year approaches, with the depth and level of talent on Tour at seemingly an all-time high these days, your friends at Golfweek got to thinking — who might be next to earn that first big Tour win?
From veterans to rising stars from the amateur ranks, here are 10 players who we predict will hoist a trophy for the first time in 2022.
This holiday season, we hope you’re relaxing and enjoying a little quality time. Here are a few of our favorite social media messages from the world of golf.
Gary Player
I would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season. It has been a year of highs and lows, none more challenging than losing my Vivienne. No matter what you have gone through this year, I hope your holiday season is filled with those most important to you. All my best. pic.twitter.com/yR08C0zAgn
Many pro golfers watched the Formula 1 series finale Sunday and had some thoughts on the wild ending.
Golfers are sports fans, too.
Many were watching the Formula 1 series finale Sunday, which came to a dramatic conclusion in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Max Verstappen made a late pass to win the championship and deny Lewis Hamilton of an eighth title.
A late crash with five laps to go set up the frenzied finish. With one lap to go, Verstappen and Hamilton started side-by-side. This was not without controversy however. A controversial decision from stewards allowed the lapped cars between the two to go ahead of the safety car. As a result, the two rivals raced head-to-head for that last lap, but it left fans furious and questioning if it was fair.
The finish also set Twitter ablaze with reaction and several golfers chimed in.
If Max and Lewis switched cars would the season go differently?
On Monday when the tournament released a list of confirmed players for the 2022 on Feb. 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, all eight appeared on the list alongside a few other notable names.
Two-time winner Dustin Johnson, 2020 champion Graeme McDowell, Abraham Ancer, Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson, Kevin Na and Jason Kokrak will be joined by Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Adri Arnaus, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Paul Casey, Jason Dufner, Shane Lowry, Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Harold Varner III, Jhonattan Vegas and Bubba Watson in Saudi Arabia in 2022.
The PGA Tour previously said it would deny waivers for its members to take part in the Saudi International. In past years the Tour granted releases to its members for the first three Saudi Internationals when it was a European Tour event. Last summer the PGA and European tours announced a strategic alliance, which removed the event from the European Tour schedule and was widely interpreted as a joint effort to stymie any rival tours.
The PGA Tour has not granted releases for members to play the Saudi International. The Tour has until 30 days before the first round to decide on waivers. Per previous reporting, players who compete without a waiver would likely only face a fine.
In its first year as part of the Asian Tour schedule, the 2022 Saudi International features the strongest field in the history of the tour. The Saudis previously made a $100 million investment in the Asian Tour.
“History will reflect upon how developments like the Saudi International and Golf Saudi’s partnership with the Asian Tour helped see in a new era in the professional game,” said Cho Minn Thant, CEO of the Asian Tour, via a media statement. “With the right guidance, it’ll be the sport that benefits most, with more top athletes from across a wider geographical spectrum present at the very top level and more interest from a more diverse and committed group of stakeholders.”
Since the inaugural Saudi International in 2019, the tournament has been widely criticized as part of the government’s effort to “sportswash” its human rights abuses, same as LIV Golf Investments, the new golf venture backed by the Public Investment Fund which operates on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia.
“Whilst this is a product of many factors, there is no denying the massive impact the best players in the world can have on creating multi-generational interest in the sport. This is why we place such importance on securing the strongest field possible, each and every year,” said Majed Al-Sorour, CEO and Deputy Chairman of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation, via a media statement. “While we do not allow ourselves to be distracted from our long-term objectives by any external voices, we have been encouraged by strengthening discussions around the importance of fresh competition and innovation in the professional game.
“We are strong advocates for this, as we see it as the only way to achieve golf’s true global potential and realize the game’s considerable untapped value. All we will say is it is better for the sport if the competition remains healthy and respectful, as opposed to hostile, as all parties look at new ways to benefit this great game.”
This year, Hovland will have to fight off a solid field to repeat as champion. Former world No. 1s Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka are making the trip, both looking to jump-start their 2021-22 campaign with a win. Thomas finished T-12 at this event last season, while Koepka missed the cut. The four-time major champion hasn’t finished inside the top 35 yet this season.
El Camaleón Golf Course will play as a par 71, hovering around 7,017 yards throughout the week as the yardage is subject to change.
2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba: Fantasy Golf Top 10
Pat Perez (+9000)
Starting with Perez, this pick would give you some extra cap space to work with for the rest of your roster and is a bit of a flyer. This is a pure “horses for courses” play – in his last five starts here Perez has a win, two other top 10s, and hasn’t missed a cut.
Billy Horschel (+3000)
Horschel hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since the Tour Championship but won on the European Tour at the BMW PGA Championship. He’s played in this event the last three seasons, improving his finish each time: T-21 (2018), T-8 (2019), T-5 (2020). Horschel also owns the lowest cumulative score at this golf course over the last three years (43 under).
Aaron Wise (+3000)
Aaron Wise tees off on the 4th hole during the third round of the Honda Classic. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
Wise’s last three starts on the PGA Tour: T-26, T-8, T-5. He’s played well here in the past finishing solo second to Hovland last season, as well as a T-10 in 2018. In an event where the winning score will likely be around 20 under, Wise ranks ninth on Tour this season in birdie average (5.5).
Justin Thomas (+1200)
With Paspalum greens this week, Strokes Gained: Approach will cause more variation than SG: Putting – AKA the best-case scenario for Thomas. He finished inside the top 20 a few weeks ago in Vegas at a low-scoring event and tied for 12th last season at Mayakoba. He hasn’t won since the Players, but four of his 14 Tour wins have come during the short “wrap-around” season. Shouldn’t surprise anyone if he captures No. 15 this weekend.
Scottie Scheffler (+3000)
The Texan is giving himself a lot of chances to put circles on the scorecard, hitting 75 percent of greens this season. In turn, he ranks sixth in birdies per round (5.83), but is 175th in scoring average (72.12). In laymen’s turns, he’s making too many mistakes. If he keeps the bogeys to a minimum this week, watch out for Scheffler to earn his first win.
Viktor Hovland (+2000)
Impossible to keep the defending champion off this list. Hovland, over his last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, ranks 23rd in SG: Approach. Going back to last season, Hovland ranked sixth in birdie average, again something that will come in handy this week.
Cameron Tringale (+3000)
Talk about a guy who’s due. Despite earning over $15 million over his career, he’s yet to win. In five starts this season, Tringale has three finishes of T-22 or better including a runner-up in his last start (Zozo Championship). In his last 24 rounds on the PGA Tour on courses measuring under 7,200 yards, Tringale ranks 19th in SG: Approach, and seventh in SG: Total. Could this finally be the week for the native Californian?
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Patrick Reed (+4000)
Reed struggled in his first few starts this season missing the cut at the Shriners, and finishing nearly last at the CJ Cup. But, last week he bounced back in a big way finishing in a tie for second in Bermuda. Reed ranks eighth in SG: Total over his last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards. In 2017, the Texan missed the cut at this event.
Russell Henley (+5000)
Henley has missed the cut in his last two appearances at this event but scored a T-29 finish in 2017. However, his stats so far this season point to a solid week. First in driving accuracy, first in greens in regulation, and ninth in birdie average. Some may worry about his length off the tee, but at El Camaleón, it shouldn’t hurt him. Finally, over his last 24 rounds on the PGA Tour on courses less than 7,200 yards, Henley is third in SG: Approach, and seventh in SG: Tee to Green.
Harold Varner III (+5000)
Varner has played great golf to start the new season: T-16 (Fortinet), T-11 (Sanderson Farms), T-32 (CJ Cup). He’s made three straight cuts at this event, highlighted by a T-6 finish back in 2018. Over his last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, Varner ranks 12th in SG: Approach. If he can get it going on the greens, Varner may win for the first time on Tour.
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Harold Varner III didn’t do much to practice being a new father.
At last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship he admitted to not reading one baby book and laughed at the idea of practicing how to change a diaper on a baby doll.
“No,” he said after the second round at Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi. “Hell, no. Who practices that?”
Varner said he was excited at the chance to become a father and provide for his family and on Sunday morning he took to Twitter to announce that his wife, Amanda, had given birth to their first child, Liam, aka HV4.
The 31-year-old has been riding an impressive run of form over the last three months, earning six top-20 finishes over his last eight starts, including a T-16 (Fortinet Championship) and T-11 (Sanderson Farms Championship) to start the new PGA Tour season. Despite the new member of the family, Varner previously said he still planned to play next week at the CJ Cup at The Summit Club in Las Vegas and then at the Zozo Championship, Oct. 21-24, at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Japan.
“I’m not taking any time off. That kid’s got to eat. That formula isn’t cheap,” said Varner at the Sanderson. “But at the end of the day that kid’s not cheap and I still love playing golf and my wife’s not working. So it’s this thing called being a father, provide, you figure it out. And I’m super excited about it.”
The East Carolina grad was the lone player to crack the top five on the leaderboard from the afternoon wave.
JACKSON, Miss. — It’s been a big few months for Harold Varner III.
On the course, the 31-year-old is rolling. Over the last three months on the PGA Tour, he’s earned five top-20 finishes over eight events, including a T-16 two weeks ago at the Fortinet Championship in California, the first event of the new season. After a 7-under 65 on Thursday in the first round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at Country Club of Jackson, Varner is back in contention once again.
“I putted well in Napa and I feel like I’m still doing the same thing. The place is pretty pure right now, if you hit a lot of good golf shots you’re going to get a lot of looks and you just got to be patient,” said Varner of his round. “And the way I’m putting it right now I just need to get it on the green.”
Off the course, he and his wife, Amanda, are expecting their first child next week. Now you may think that would weigh heavy on a player’s mind or distract their focus on the course. But not for Varner.
“Yeah, I don’t really think about it at all out there because there’s nothing I can do to make that kid come out, that kid’s going to come whenever he has to come,” said Varner. “And the doctor though, she goes to school for a hundred years and still doesn’t know when these kids come. So it is what it is. So nothing we can do. I’ll be prepared.”
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The East Carolina grad was the lone player to crack the top five on the leaderboard from the afternoon wave after Thursday morning’s birdie and eagle fest. Sahith Theegala took the lead with a bogey-free 8-under 64 and holds a one-shot advantage over Varner and Nick Watney entering Friday’s second round. Trailing the trio are Roger Sloan, Kurt Kitayama and Si Woo Kim, who each sit T-4 at 6-under after first-round 66s. Defending champion Sergio Garcia, who compiled a 3-1-0 record last week at the Ryder Cup in a losing effort to the United States, is at 2 under.
Varner qualified for the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive time last season and earned his best finish on Tour with a runner-up at the RBC Heritage. All that said, he’s still chasing that elusive first win on Tour, and he’ll need to continue to go low to make it happen. The average winning score at the Sanderson Farms the last five years is 19 under. The want to win paired with the need to go low has to add pressure for the North Carolina native, right?
“No, the media’s the only thing that adds pressure because I’m going to answer that question after every day. And it’s just, it is what it is,” explained Varner. “And I’m learning how to deal with it and I hate when people, not ask you, but I hate when people are just always like, ‘When you going to win?’ It’s not like I’m not trying. It’s not easy.
“So it’s a great opportunity, it’s always going to be a challenge I’m just excited for it and I’m not too worried about what anyone else is doing. I used to get caught up in that and I’m just super thankful to be over that step in my life.”
